Ledgestone cladding applied in the same fashion as the rest of the home

Concrete form work for the driveway borders

Additional concrete form work for the driveway addition

Concrete form work

Basalt stone tile set in place for the front pathway - brick facade cladding removed

Preparing the area to be clad with ledgestone

Ledgestone complete!

Basalt sill added to act as a water table ties in with tile

The opposite corner of the garage

The cladding complete with sill and new windows

Project Story

As Greater Victoria’s leader in multi-faceted renovations, Flintstones was specifically approached to tackle the complete façade refresh of our clients’ home. Built in the 1990s, the exterior of this home was outdated and the driveway and chimney were deteriorating and in need of repair. Our clients were seeking something much more aesthetically appealing whilst undergoing essential maintenance requirements. By working with Flintstones, our clients could completely renovate the exterior of their home providing them with an all-new contemporary look.

Following a consultation with one of our Senior Design Consultants, a small range of 3d visual designs demonstrating proposed products, colours, and textures was presented to our client for review.

Their decision to improve these aspects of the exterior of their home was a very wise considering the return on investment. This is especially relevant considering the current real estate market in Victoria and the ideal Royal Oak location of the home. For instance, according to 2017 report by Remodeling Magazine, west coast homeowners can expect to recoup 102.0% of the cost to install stone veneer, 110.8% of the cost of a garage door, and 101.3% of the cost of a steel front door.

Driveway

The home’s driveway was arguably the most noticeable aspect of the exterior that was in need of repair. The exposed aggregate concrete was discoloured, worn, and had major cracking both horizontally and vertically. Our clients wanted to upgrade not only the aesthetics but also improve function. The decision was made to expand the driveway to the right of the home to allow for additional parking.

The concrete was likely 15-20 years old and it was apparent that it not installed to a very high standard. All concrete will crack, but when best practices are used by skilled installers major cracks can be prevented. This area of Greater Victoria has a history of poor ground fill for concrete work. Poor ground fill means a poor sub-base which can lead to many concrete issues such as the cracking we saw in the driveway. Well-constructed concrete driveways will typically last anywhere from 25 to 30 years — though in some cases the duration can be much longer if the construction standards are high and the driveway is properly maintained. Construction and care are fundamental to the lifespan of a concrete driveway and the Flintstones team is committed to both. Our team came up with various installation methods including the use of our specialized equipment to ensure that the new driveway would have a reliable sub-base for concrete.

At Flintstones, our crews from our various divisions work together to deliver a unified and complete home renovation service. That means, the open lines of communication between skilled crews, project managers, and clients permits our teams to very efficiently coordinate and execute all aspects of a project, from drainage to sealing the final product. The driveway installation required the coordination of both the drainage and concrete crews. Once the area was excavated to prepare for installation, the drainage work that was to lie underneath the driveway could begin. The old drain lines that ran down the driveway were removed and replaced with new drain piping. The drain lines were then inspected and found to meet municipal and BC building code. Without a moment to spare, the concrete crew was on site pouring gravel into the area for the foundation of the driveway. The gravel was then graded and compacted with our speciality equipment. The team continued by installing flexible wood boards around the perimeter to help maintain the form of the would-be driveway. To strengthen concrete, rebar; a steel reinforcing rod was installed in a grid formation and bound to the forms throughout most areas of the driveway. Next, the concrete was poured. Several of our experts were involved in this process to help quickly and evenly spread the damp concrete and to finish the texture to perfection.

Stone Cladding

The dated, dull, and drab-looking original brick cladding on the home was next to be removed and replaced with our client’s choice of beautiful stone veneer.

Stone veneer was used in ancient Rome, however, since the late 1800’s it has steadily grown in popularity. Today, it is one of the most popular siding choices for homes. A home with stone veneer siding is far more likely to gain the interest of prospective buyers (and be the envy of neighbours!) compared to other homes. Even a small amount of this product added in the main areas of the interior or exterior of the home increase the warmth and elegance of the outdoor space in a home. Natural thin stone was chosen for this project due to the same durability, low maintenance and aesthetic qualities as the full bed counterpart without the weight load. The lighter weight of a stone veneer means there is no need for structural support in the form of footings or support ledges.

Our team removed the brick façade along the front of the home but before they began to install the new veneer stone, the integrated waterproofing system was applied. This system provides a drainage plane behind the stone to mitigate the potential for mold and mildew caused by moisture penetration. Included was a building membrane, strapping, breather board, and rain screen. The lath and scratch coat came next to prepare an adhesive surface for the stone veneer. Our teams of skilled tradespeople worked hand in hand to install the new stone cladding, while simultaneously installing beautiful modern windows and complementary basalt stone sills to act as a water table, providing the right pitch and a drip edge for water runoff. The final look of the cladding was an incredibly striking curb appeal improvement!

Exterior Entryway and Front Steps

The entryway steps were removed and our team built a new stair substructure using masonry units. Next, conduits were installed that ran to the house, to allow for lighting under the stair treads. Large square basalt stone tile was installed to provide a clean, smooth, look for the entryway. Basalt stone is an extrusive igneous (volcanic) rock formed from the rapid cooling of basaltic lava exposed at the earth’s surface. There a variety of sizes and finishes of this stone used for masonry, but for this application we used flamed top basalt tile and basalt slab stair treads. It’s a great choice of material for its durability and sleek rich appearance that matched the grey tones of the ledgestone beautifully and matched precisely with the exterior window sills we had installed prior. Our red seal masons installed the deep grey stone to perfection creating a cohesive and alluring look for the focal point of the front of the home.

Chimney

The chimney-the cherry on top of the project! Our clients were concerned about the condition of their chimney due to its age. Knowing Flintstones took its first steps as a chimney and masonry company, our clients requested our experts perform a chimney inspection. We found that the chimney crown was deteriorating. Often neglected, homeowners sometimes forget how important maintenance can be for their chimney. A chimney is constantly exposed to the elements, and ensuring it is in optimal condition can prevent costly water damage repairs as well as greatly reduce the risk of a chimney fire! One of the best ways to protect your chimney from water damage is by making sure there is a properly installed chimney cap and chimney crown on the top of your chimney. Our clients enlisted our help to solve the problem of the deteriorating chimney crown. We did so by removing the three layers of existing brick near the top of the stucco chimney then grinding and cleaning area as well as performing repairs to bring the chimney back to good working condition. Next, our team installed the same ledgestone cladding to tie in the chimney with the front of the home. Flintstones then supplied and installed new reinforced crowns, complete with drip edges and overhangs, to the chimney. Similar to how the basalt window sills function, a grooved drip edge stops water from rolling down the sides of the chimney and causing damage. The crowns included a moulding feature along the edges, giving the chimney that special touch of uniqueness and cosmetic appeal.

Many other improvements were made to the home including new paint, and a new front and garage door to complete the full renovation design. Our full-time experts who made this project possible, demonstrated their strengths in communication, masonry skills and methods, teamwork, dedication to quality, and commitment to timelines for this multi-faceted home renovation project. Our clients loved the result of the transformation, agreeing that the improvements breathe life, function and value into their home in a most beautiful way!

Project Features

Natural Ledgestone Veneer

Dyed Canyon Slate stamped concrete driveway with borders

Basalt stone tile and slab front steps and front pathway

Basalt window sill

A Job Well Done!

From start to finish working with Flintstones was an excellent experience. From the beginning, we were impressed with the way Mike and his team approached understanding our goals for the replacement of our driveway and updating the stone facade of our home. They listened to what we wanted and helped us work through all the possibilities to create a project that fit both our aesthetic goals and the budget.

Throughout the project the team did a great job of communicating what to expect with each phase of construction, anticipating many of our questions before we could ask and promptly responding to any questions that came up along the way. The crew was fantastic, professional and polite, keeping the project moving with no wasted time and leaving the space clean and tidy at the end of every day.

Finally the attention to detail and workmanship shows in the final results. We are so happy with the quality of work and the integrity of the construction. We’ve been through a few renovations with a few different companies in the past and the work done by Flintstones is the best we’ve seen. It’s been our pleasure to recommend Flintstones to several of our friends.

Related Services

We do quality jobs of any size.Talk to us about your ideas today.

Flintstones has a number of specialist teams that we combine to suit your needs, giving you the best construction experience imaginable. Teams that have decades of experience, so you’re working with experts from day one. We look forward to discussing your ideas with you!